


Bookmarks Are For Nerds (It's Good You Are One)

by andrea_deer



Series: 200 Prompts Challenge [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 200 Prompts Meme, AU, Deaf Clint Barton, Librarian AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-28
Updated: 2014-10-28
Packaged: 2018-02-22 22:40:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2524307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andrea_deer/pseuds/andrea_deer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"One compilation of short stories later, he reached for a thick spy thriller that even in summary sounded so ridiculous he was unable to resist it. <i>“Dramatically courageous spies, fainting love interests, wicked villains with over-drown speeches and sassy, nerdy side-kick – you will love it.”</i> He blinked at the note, smiling slightly. This was quite unexpected."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bookmarks Are For Nerds (It's Good You Are One)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MeganMoonlight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeganMoonlight/gifts).



While specific, formal language and long lists of numbers and facts, where Phil’s forte, there was something amazingly relaxing about leaving it all at work and enjoying a simple narration of a captivating novel. He took out his dinner from the boxes and unto the plate and opened the book he picked from the library on his lunch break.

He easily fell engrossed into the story and quite over-dramatic action, pausing every few sentences for another bite of his take out. The leftovers on his plate were growing cold as he reached the end of the first chapter and frowned briefly at the simple, folded card stuck in the book. It seemed someone forgot their improvised bookmark, he thought absentmindedly, taking it out and automatically looking it over and unfolding it. He was quite surprised at the short message inside.

_“I hope you like this one. It’s silly, but good.”_

Phil shrugged it off, continuing to read. 

By the time he put the book away on his nightstand to get to sleep, he was using the simple bookmark himself and tucked it in right before the next chapter, about one third of the book left for the next day. 

When he finally finished it off, during the lull at the office, he glanced unsurely at the bookmark he appropriated. He was pretty sure the note was neither meant for him nor in any sense relevant to him, yet he found himself quickly scribbling over it, before putting it back in the book.

_“I was not intellectually challenged, but I was amused. :)”_

He dropped the book at the library, picking another two and forgot all about the matter until a week later he came to switch his reading material. One compilation of short stories later, he reached for a thick spy thriller that even in summary sounded so ridiculous he was unable to resist it.

_“Dramatically courageous spies, fainting love interests, wicked villains with over-drown speeches and sassy, nerdy side-kick – you will love it.”_

He blinked at the note, smiling slightly. This was quite unexpected. The notes were clearly meant for him after all. More than that, they were clearly written by someone who not only knew what he was lending from the library, but also which positions caught his interest the most. Indeed quite unexpected and potentially risky.

Phil thought back to the library staff as they were clearly the ones with the easiest access to the books, but did not came up with an obvious candidate for the secret messenger. The library was run by the university and not only was it quite large, but it also employed a strong number of always changing students and interns. Neither one of those was calculated as much of a danger though and Phil relaxed, playing with the bookmark and once again using it as his own until he finished the book.

_“You forgot enthusiastic techno-babble that breaks the rules of physics one page at a time. 10/10, would recommend.”_

The notes continued, though always short, since it seemed they were wrote in the last moment, right before Phil got the books. His suspicion of one of the librarian sliding them in as they checked the books out grew, but as he rarely met the same librarian twice in a row, it seemed to be a tad bit more complicated. And interesting.

His messenger was by now clearly dedicated to keep in touch for just the sake of keeping the conversation going rather than conversing about books, at some point they slid a note that simply said _“Never read this one, seems ridiculous enough for you though.”_

Phil found himself reading even more than he did previously. And far quicker, trying to catch at least few chapters on his lunch breaks as well, and considering commuting to work, thinking that if he’s stuck in the morning rush for over an hour anyway, he might as well spend it reading. His messenger mockingly congratulated him on being more eco.

Almost three months later Phil stood by the counter in the library, waiting for his books being checked out, the librarian he never saw before smiling at him as they waited for the books to come back from the backroom. She explained they needed to file them in, they had some trouble with the system. He nodded politely, unconcerned, but curious nonetheless. 

When the books finally arrived back there were four of them instead of the three that he picked himself. He rose his eyebrows as he noticed the additional one was filled with sticking out post-it notes.

The librarian frowned as she carried them from the backroom.

“I’m not sure-“ she started sounding lost and confused.

Phil smiled at her reassuringly.

“It’s quite all right, I think I may know what’s going on.” He paused for a second. “More or less.”

The book was another spy thriller, with a government conspiracy theory thrown in as well and several masterful assassins and quite possibly a superhero or two. It was not only completely ridiculous and filled with more plot twists than plot points, but also filled with notes mocking everything from the characters to weaponry, with extra information explaining why the person who wrote this not only never had a bow in their hands, but didn’t even bother with at least checking a Wikipedia article about the archery. 

The dry, sarcastic humor amused Phil far more than the book itself and he decided it was the proper time to pay the visit to the library’s backroom and meet his silent reading partner. As he read the last note, stuck on the inside of the back cover, he realized he clearly wasn’t alone in his conclusion.

_“Next Tuesday I end at two.”_

Phil finished the book by Thursday, but waited until Tuesday to return it along with the others.

“I think this is not one of ours,” said yet another intern in the librarian’s space, frowning in confusion. “Are you sure you got it here, sir?”

He was quite pointedly frowning at the notes, but Phil merely smiled politely at him. It was a bit complicated to explain quickly. 

“Yes, though I’m not sure it’s actually from the library, now that you mention it.”

“Oh? What do you mean by that, sir? If you took it from the shelves-” The man stopped and turned, when someone tapped his shoulder. “Oh, hi, Clint. Oh, that’s the one you meant?” He asked looking back at Phil, clearly suddenly seeing him in quite a different light.

Phil paid little mind to him, watching carefully the man who interrupted their conversation. He took the book, smiling brighter, clearly noticing that the number of post-it notes only grew. He was older than most of the interns, but still younger than Phil. Clearly used to staying in the backrooms, not following the stricter dress code the librarians did. He wore purple T-shirt and worn jeans. He wasn’t remotely what Phil expected, even considering he tried to not expect or assume anything. 

“Is it wise to lend your own books to strangers?” teased the intern and Clint smacked him lightly.

_Not stranger_ – he signed, watching subtly but carefully for Phil’s reaction. 

Phil very carefully did not react at all and Clint raised an eyebrow at him and his unchanged polite, warm smile.

_I’ve missed lunch. Would you like to go for dinner?_ Phil signed carefully and was rewarded with a grin and a quick nod.

_What did you lose your lunch for if you were out of books?_ – signed Clint after he pulled on his jacket and got around the counter to stand by Phil.

_Work._

_Sounds boring_ – commented Clint. – _Don’t tell me. Did you like the book?_

Phil grinned. _It was slightly more dramatic and ridiculous than work._

Clint’s eyebrows rose and he turned to look at Phil as they made their way out of the library.

_Ok. Do tell me._

Phil laughed, thinking he just might.


End file.
